Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-12-20
WILD GEESE IN DAKOTA
-0rsnd Armies Of wild Birds-A Sight 10
Delight . sportsman's Eyes.

-<orssd Armies Of VIVA Birds-A Sight 10
Delight . sportsman's Eyss.
For the information and. perhaps, ben
cit of sportsmen, l win give faint de-
scription of what we are daily witnessing
Of the grand armies Of the strong winged
birds whose name heads this letter. or
the variety known further south as wild
geese, the 'honkers," as they are called,
from their peculiar cry when on the wing.
We zee large numbers. A great many Of
them nest and breed about the small lakes
IN our neiehborhood, and people often
take the eggs and hatch them under do
mestic birds, either geese or hens. Be-
ides these there are the brant, . smaller,
gray goose, and the beautiful snowy
geese. OF these last there seems to be no
limit to numbers. The air is almost con-
SANITY filled with their notes, and one
can scarcely look up at the sky which Is
wonderfully wide from these highlands
without seeing focks of these magnifi-
cent birds wheeling across it in one direc-
ton or another. No mathematics yet
invented could enumerate the hosts that
have SO far appeared. instantaneous
photography is the only method by which
any truthful representation can be given
Of their hosts.
We rode out the other day to the lake
(Wamnuska, sometimes called Stump
lake.. The day was one of the mellow,
golden, bracing, thoroughly enjoyable
days that October sometimes brings even
to poor dwellers amid the mists and
damps of the east, but TO us she is lavish
Of such treasures during her entire reign.
All the day and the days before-one can
not tell for how long-flocks Of geese, in
countless numbers, were sailing overhead
In ranks and clusters of ranks, some dark
and some snowy white, with black
tipped wings. They are congregat-
ing about our beautiful lake, proba-
bly, making preliminary arrangements
for their southern flight. The whole
blue vault, which showed no cloud,
was lined in every direction by ranks Of
mowy birds. The afternoon sun shone
full upon their brilliant plumage, tinging
il full golden color than which no bird
Of paradise could be more dazzling, and
the vast numbers on wing Of shining
gold hued hosts, made one Of the finest
sights that one can behold. / never be-
fore saw anything to equal 1t. When we
came In full view Of the lake, where there
are several miles of water in sight. there
was another remarkable surprise for US.
II the canopy above was full Of flying
birds, the surface Of that long stretch of
glistening water was q hundred times
more 30. Along the further shore and
far out from land there were thousands
Of geese floating, % close together that
one saw no glimmer Of water between
them.
Midway between the snores islanos o.
geese floated, but appeared, TO observers
On the high banks, like still, inanimate
earth, covered with fresh fall Of snow.
Sportsmen were crouching here and there
behind clumps of bushes, and every now
and then q rifle shot echoed along the
woodland; but what were few sports
men among such mulitudes Of birds?
My neighbor. the postmaster, brought
In half dozen geese, the result of two
or three odd half hours sport. Another
neighbor took twelve the same day. One
man shot fourteen within thirty minutes
The flesh Of these birds is excellent, and
In this climate can be kept long time.
A party Of sportsmen are here now from
Florida, and will spend week or more.
Two gentlemen from Boston spent week
here shooting, and bagged a large num-
Der of ducks and several geese. They
left for home some weeks ago. Had
they remained two weeks their sport
would, perhaps, have been more satisfac-
tory, as the larger birds are far more
numerous at this time than a month
earlier. As it was, however, these
Boston men were 50 well pleased with
their trip, and with the opportunities for
good shooting, that they left their canoe
here for next years use.-Harrisburg
Dak.) Letter.